But one family next door would frequently have breakfast food Thursday evening. (I was good friends with two of the children there, so I knew...) Since Friday was pay-day, their mom wanted to get rid of the extra little bits of cereal from each box, as well as any left-over eggs (hence, scrambled eggs or eggs used to make pancakes or French toast). This way, wnen shopping the next evening, they would start with fresh cereal, etc.
"Why can't we have cereal or French toast for dinner?" I'd plead, especially if Mom was planning to make liver-and-onions for dinner.
"Those are breakfast foods," she'd explain, as if to a slow child.
"But Mrs. M lets her kids have..."
It was no use. Liver-and-onions for dinner, end of discussion.
Mom
Years later, Mom eased up on the rules. But by that time, I was on my own, and I could fix breakfast whenever I wanted.
To that end, here are six breakfast recipes for any old time, including Salsa Verde Scrambled Egg Tacos and Peanut Butter Breakfast Pudding. Enjoy!!
SAUSAGE AND EGG CASSROLE
This is from Everyday Diabetic Recipes, and begins, "This Sausage and Egg Casserole is a hearty way to start your day right! Packed with bold and delicious flavors, this breakfast casserole is perfect not only for you, but for the entire family. They won't be able to get enough! Everyone will be asking you to make this delicious Sausage and Egg Casserole on Sunday morning. Bring it to the next potluck and everyone will be begging you for the recipe."
Cook Time: 25 minutes; Serves: 6; Serving Size: 1 slice
Ingredients
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 cup turkey sausage crumbles
6 eggs
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray.
In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat oil until hot; saute onion, green pepper, tomatoes, and turkey sausage, 5 minutes; set aside.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk eggs, Italian seasoning, and black pepper; stir in the cheese. Add vegetables and turkey mixture to the egg mixture; mix well. Pour mixture into pie plate.
Bake 25 to 28 minutes or until set in center. Slice and serve immediately.
CARNE ASADA STEAK AND EGG BREAKFAST STREET TACOS
This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "Tacos for breakfast? Totally! These delicious breakfast street tacos are filled with steak, eggs, veggies and cheese that all cook in the same skillet. Carne asada breakfast tacos are a one-pan meal that’s great for breakfast, brunch or even dinner. Make it even easier when you use our Old El Paso™ Carne Asada Steak Street Taco Kits, which include carne asada seasoning mix, tortillas and creamy chipotle sauce. Make your morning delicious with steak and egg breakfast tacos."
Prep Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Makes 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/carne-asada-steak-and-egg-breakfast-street-tacos.
Ingredients
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 package Old El Paso™ Carne Asada Steak Street Taco Kit
1/2 cup diced white onion
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
2 boneless beef sirloin steaks (about 8 oz each), 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup Old El Paso™ Shredded 4 Cheese Mexican Blend (4 oz)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup Old El Paso™ Crema Mexicana
Preparation
In small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of the oil and 1 tablespoon of the seasoning mix (from taco kit); set aside.
In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper and remaining seasoning mix; cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Transfer mixture to medium bowl; cover and keep warm. Carefully clean out skillet.
Coat steaks in 1 tablespoon of the oil. In same skillet, cook steaks over medium-high heat 4 minutes; turn, reduce heat to medium-low and cook 4 to 7 minutes longer, until meat thermometer inserted in center reads 145°F (medium-rare) or to desired doneness. Remove from heat; transfer steaks to cutting board. Brush steaks on all sides with mixture of oil and seasoning mix; cover with foil, and let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak very thinly across the grain.
Meanwhile, carefully clean out skillet; add remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add eggs; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until eggs are set but still moist, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in cheese.
Heat tortillas (from taco kit) as directed on package. Divide steak among tortillas; top with egg mixture, followed by pepper mixture. Top with cilantro. Serve with creamy chipotle sauce (from taco kit) and crema.
Expert Tips
Cleaning out the skillet in between steps not only prevents burning–it also ensures the prettiest steak and scrambled eggs!
Brushing the cooked steaks with the vegetable oil and seasoning mix is a great way to add flavor to the meat while keeping the pan tidy. Try this technique with other flavorings as well, like chimichurri sauce or a citrus vinaigrette.
Resist the urge to add salt and pepper to the scrambled eggs. There’s enough seasoning in the veggies and on the steak to flavor the entire breakfast street taco.
Nutrition: 1 Serving (3 Tacos) Calories 720 (Calories from Fat 380); Total Fat 43g (Saturated Fat 17g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 295mg; Sodium 1150mg; Total Carbohydrate 41g (Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 6g); Protein 42g
% Daily Value: Vitamin A 20%; Vitamin C 20%; Calcium 35%; Iron 35%
Exchanges: 2 Starch, 1/2 Other Carbohydrate, 1/2 Vegetable, 4 Lean Meat, 1 High-Fat Meat, 4 1/2 Fat
Carbohydrate Choice: 3
>PEANUT BUTTER BREAKFAST PUDDING
Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/166.shtml
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Servings: 8 - Difficulty Level: 2
Ingredients
6 slices raisin bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
1-3/4 cup nonfat skim milk
3 whole eggs + 2 egg whites
1/2 cup fat-reduced peanut butter
3 Tbsp dark brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp grated orange peel OR 1/4 tsp dried orange peel
Directions
Spray a 9-inch baking pan or dish with nonstick vegetable spray.
Add bread cubes to dish and set aside.
Combine remaining ingredients in blender container and process until smooth.
Pour mixture evenly over bread cubes in baking dish, saturating bread cubes.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350F degrees.
Remove cover and bake about 35 minutes, or until lightly browned and puffed.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 217; Protein: 11 g; Fat: 9 g; Sodium: 262 mg; Cholesterol: 91 mg; Carbohydrates: 24 g; Exchanges: 1-1/2 Bread/Starch; 1 Lean Meat; 1-1/2 Fats
BROCCOLI FRITTATA
Yield: 4 Servings
View Online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/692.shtml
Ingredients
1/2 cup non-fat cottage cheese
1/2 tsp dried dill
2 cup fat-free egg substitute
2 cups frozen chopped broccoli
1 tsp olive oil
2 tsp margarine
1 large onion, diced
Directions
Mix cottage cheese and egg substitute together; set aside.
In large non-stick frying pan over medium heat, saute onions in oil for 5 minutes, or until soft.
Add broccoli and dill; saute for 5 minutes, or until broccoli mixture softens. Set vegetable aside.
Wipe out frying pan. Add 1 tsp. margarine and swirl the pan to distribute it. Add half of the vegetable mixture, and then add half of the egg mixture; lift and rotate pan so that eggs are evenly distributed.
As eggs set around the edges, lift them to allow uncooked portions to flow underneath. Turn heat to low, cover the pan, and cook until top is set.
Invert onto a serving plate and cut into wedges.
Repeat with remaining 1 tsp. margarine, vegetable mixture, and egg mixture.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 150; Calories from Fat: 30; Protein: 19 g; Fat: 3 g; Sodium: 390 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Sugars: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 12 g; Exchanges: 1 Vegetable; 2 Meat; 1 Fat
SALSA VERDE SCRAMBLED EGG TACOS
This comes from Old El Paso, and begins, "Enjoy your scrambled eggs in a mini soft tortilla bowl with these delicious breakfast tacos, perfect for kids and adults! They’re topped with shredded cheese, fresh pico de gallo, avocado and Old El Paso™ Creamy Salsa Verde sauce."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Makes 6 servings
View this online at https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/salsa-verde-scrambled-egg-tacos.
Ingredients
6 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 package (12 count) Old El Paso™ Mini Soft Tortilla Bowls, heated as directed on package
1/2 cup Old El Paso™ shredded Mexican Style 4 Cheese Blend
1/2 cup pico de gallo
1 medium avocado, pitted, peeled, diced
1/3 cup Old El Paso™ Creamy Salsa Verde sauce
Preparation
In large bowl, beat eggs with whisk. Add milk and salt; beat well.
In 10-inch nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add egg mixture; cook 3 to 5 minutes, scraping cooked eggs up from bottom of skillet occasionally, until mixture is firm but still moist.
Divide eggs evenly among warm tortilla bowls. Top with cheese, pico de gallo and avocado; drizzle with sauce.
Expert Tips
Try chopped tomatoes in place of pico de gallo.
Kids love to help in the kitchen. After filling tortillas with eggs, let the kids top with their favorite cheese and fresh toppings!
Add cooked breakfast sausage to tacos for a flavor twist.
Nutrition: 6 servings (2 tacos each); 1 Serving: Calories: 310 (Calories from Fat: 190); Total Fat: 21 g (Saturated Fat: 8 g, Trans Fat: 0 g); Cholesterol: 210 mg; Sodium: 550 mg; Total Carbohydrate: 18 g (Dietary Fiber: 2 g, Sugars: 2 g); Protein: 10 g
% Daily Value: Vitamin A 10%; Vitamin C 4%; Calcium 15%; Iron 10%
Exchanges: 1 Other Carbohydrate, 1 Medium-Fat Meat, 1/2 High-Fat Meat, 2 1/2 Fat
Carbohydrate Choice: 1
MUSHROOM, GREEN PEPPER AND ONION OMELET
Recipe Yield: Makes two servings.
Source: AICR
Recipe and image appear courtesy of American Institute for Cancer Research.
View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/mushroom-green-pepper-and-onion-omelet.
Ingredients
3/4 cup good quality marinara sauce
1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Canola cooking oil spray
1 small onion, cut in crescents
6 medium white mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded, cut in thin strips
Salt, as desired
3 large egg whites
1 large egg
1 tsp. grated Parmeggiano-Reggiano cheese
Directions
In a small saucepan, heat marinara sauce, vinegar and soy sauce, just until hot. Season with pepper to taste and set aside.
Coat medium non-stick pan liberally with cooking oil spray. Set pan over medium-high heat. Saute onion until lightly colored, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, pepper and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until mushrooms are soft, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out pan.
Whisk egg whites and egg with cheese, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Coat pan with oil spray and heat over medium-high heat until hot. Add egg mixture, tilting pan to coat bottom evenly. Reduce heat to medium. Cook until eggs are well-set, about 4 minutes. Slip spatula gently around edges, then underneath to loosen omelet. Slide it onto a serving plate.
Spoon filling to cover half of omelet and fold omelet, covering filling. With a spoon, drizzle sauce in a ribbon effect across omelet. Serve immediately.
Notes:
Additional info: 1 g. saturated fat, 3 g. dietary fiber
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 158; Fat: 5 g; Sodium: 545 mg; Protein: 12 g; Carbohydrates: 17 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 3 Vegetable, 1-1/2 Low-Fat Meat
